9 Missed Calls
by VioletCherry342
Summary: David called nine times. Kurt ignored him. David left nine messages. At two AM, Kurt finally listens...and calls him back. Same trigger warning as for "On My Way".


**~VioletCherry342~**

* * *

><p><em><strong>Trigger Warnings<strong>: If "On My Way" bothered you, this might not be for you. Nothing really mentioned, just...utterly depressing. Please click back if the topic of suicide bugs you, or if you are already sad today. Sorry this isn't fluffy until the very end! Bah._

* * *

><p>Kurt rocked back and forth slightly as he sat at the foot of his bed. It was 2am in the morning, but he just couldn't bring himself to lie down, close his eyes and count sheep until sleep overtook him. He'd tried that about an hour ago, but the little monkey holding the heart with, <em>'You Drive Me Bananas!'<em> on it was _staring_ at him, burning holes into the back of his head as it sat beside his bedside lamp. He'd rolled over, peeked an eye open and glared at it for a while, but it just kept smiling at him until Kurt finally brought his hand out from under the sheets and turned it around. It had helped for a while, but then he began to feel guilty about turning it away, much like he had to David. He'd plucked it off the dresser and held it for a while, before crawling out of bed and looking for a new place to put it, where he wouldn't know it was staring at him.

Which is how he got here, the end of his bed, looking at the innocent plush and trying to block out Finn's obnoxious snoring. Honestly, any crush he may have had on the boy would've died the moment they were left in the same room together to sleep. He snored like a chainsaw.

He ran his fingertips along the smooth, stitched hand writing on the heart the monkey hugged, and wondered how many times David put it back on the shelf and picked it back up before deciding it was okay to give to Kurt, _worthy_ of Kurt Hummel. It broke Kurt's heart, in many ways.

Especially considering when Kurt had timidly asked if Blaine had sent him _anything_, just once, Blaine had snorted at him and said, "Why would I do that if I was going to meet up with you, anyway?"

Kurt had just nodded and dropped the subject, tugging at the bow on the _See's Candies_ box anxiously. There wasn't even a _See's Candies_ in the state of Ohio, which meant David had to have ordered it beforehand, and probably had that damned gorilla suit delivered, as well, because it was nowhere near Halloween time, meaning there were no _Spirit Halloween_ stores opened, and that was the only place Kurt could even _consider_ finding one of those things.

He'd considered returning the little plush, because he felt like keeping the gifts was leading David on somehow, but something held him back. And now, after David nearly destroyed his trachea because Kurt wouldn't answer the damned phone, there was no way in hell Kurt would ever think of giving the ape back.

That's what was really bothering him. The messages David left. Anytime someone would text or call him, a little notification of nine missed calls and nine voicemails would blink up on his screen and taunt him. David may have thought he didn't deserve Kurt's attention, after everything he did, and he may not be mad or hurt anymore, but Kurt still felt responsible. He'd gotten the news of David's attempted suicide the day after Blaine showed him '_Cough Syrup_', and he remembered ignoring a call from David in Glee that day, and he couldn't shake the feeling David was reaching out, _begging_ for someone to talk him out of this idea he'd had...

...and _no one_ was there for him.

Not even Kurt, who had said he'd wanted to be David's friend.

Friends. _Don't_. Do. That.

Kurt didn't even realize he was crying until a tear slipped past his cheekbone and made his lips taste of salt water. He wiped his face with the back of his hand and took a shuddering sigh. He needed closure. He needed to know, no matter how much it broke his heart, he needed to know what David had needed those nine times.

He scrambled to collect his phone out of his jean pockets, momentarily blinding himself with his mostly-white background image. After punching and sliding a few buttons and numbers, he finally got to his messages on his iPhone, and clicked it, pressing it to his ear.

_"Please enter you password, then press pound."_

Kurt did so, entering 69232 - which spelled out NYADA on a phone with buttons - before pressing the device back to his ear.

_"Nine unheard messages. First message, received on February 14th, at 10:53pm, from Day-veed Care-ov-ski."_

Kurt rolled his eyes at the way 'David Karofsky' was said, and looked down at the monkey as his friends shaky voice came through the phone.

"Hi...Um, I really...kind of, knew you wouldn't answer, but, um..." A sniff. "I wanted to say sorry for this week...I-I shouldn't've assumed you and Blaine were broken up, I just...hoped, I guess." A sigh. "Shit, that sounds really heartless...Anyway...I'm sorry. I'm not a home-wrecker, and...I hope he makes you happy..." Another sigh, shakier this time. "Sorry to call so late...But...if you could just...pretend this never happened? I want to be your friend, and I feel..._really_ stupid, now, so, um...Yeah. Bye..."

"_To skip this message, press four. To erase, press seven. To return the senders call, press eight. To save, press nine. For more options, press zero._"

_Is there a 'Go-Back-In-Time-And-Answer-This-Call' option?_ Kurt silently asked, before clicking four.

_"Message, skipped. Next message, received on February 16th, at 7:58pm, from Day-veed Care-ov-ski."_

He didn't speak, at first. A small sob coming from the other line. Kurt winced. "H-Hey, it's me.." He cleared his throat. "I'm sorry I keep calling, but...I just...I told my parents..." A crash in the background and another shuddering sigh. "M-My dad didn't say anything...he just...left the room...A-and my mom-" A short squeak, followed by the sound of muffled sobs. "M-my mom wants to know how I got it...S-She kept promising she would fix this, an-and-" He stops, letting out a little cry. "I'm sorry...I-I shouldn't be putting all this on you." A mumble and Kurt would swear it sounded like, 'I shouldn't expect you to care...' "I'm sorry."

_"To skip this message, press four. To erase, press seven. To return the senders call, press eight. To save, press nine. For more options, press zero."_

Kurt whimpered. Of course he cared. _Of course _he_ cared_. How could he be so selfish? How could he ignore these calls? What did he expect, for David to ask him out again and harass him until he got his way? He didn't know David well, but he knew he wouldn't do that.

Stupid.

He clicked four again and wiped his cheeks for what felt like the millionth time.

_"Message, skipped. Next message, received on February 17th, at 5:13am, from Day-veed Care-ov-ski."_

"I really hope you were awake already and didn't have to be woken up to click ignore." He didn't sound mad, even though he knew Kurt _had_ clicked ignore, due to the fact it barely got past two rings. He sounded _broken_, his voice quiet like he was afraid of being caught by the screaming voices in the background. "Um...My parents are fighting down there...loudly...M-My sister - did I ever tell you I have a sister? - is actually hiding in here..She's got my headphones on, she doesn't need to hear them..Or me..." A small, shuddering cry. "Kurt, I know I don't deserve your pity or your help but...I really, _really_ just need someone to talk to, and you're the only one I've ever trusted with this...please..._Please_, just...can you call me back?" A pause, and Kurt made out, 'I refuse to acknowledge my son was born with this disgusting issue!' and 'How could you be so insensitive? He's still your son! _Our_ son!' coming from voices Kurt assumed belonged to Mr. and Mrs. Karofsky in the background. "Please?"

_"To skip this message, press four. To erase, press seven. To return the senders call, press eight. To save, press nine. For more options, press zero."_

Kurt covered his mouth so his own wail wouldn't wake up his dad or Finn, or Carole. He gave himself a minute to catch his breath before clicking four again.

_"Message, skipped. Next message, received on February 17th, at 4:22pm, from Day-veed Care-ov-ski."_

A pause. A very long pause of just David breathing, and Kurt could almost see through the phone he was debating whether or not he should just hang up. "Kurt..." He squeaked out. A sigh. "I...I just...Should it really hurt as bad as it does that my mom asked if she should call 'that Santana girl' and arrange a date? Or if there are any girls at my school who have asked me out? It just...it _really_ hurts, the way she looks at me now..." A sniffle. "Thalia can't know...Th-That's my sister. I'm not allowed to tell her I'm...g-gay, because it...it might make her think she likes girls, and-" A choked cry. "And we wouldn't want to '_impression'_ her like that..." A sniff and then a broken sigh, and the line goes dead.

_"To skip this message, press four. To erase, press seven. To return the senders call, press eight. To save, press nine. For more options, press zero."_

Kurt closed his eyes and laid back on the bed. He remembered when David called him that day. He remembered scoffing and hitting ignore and telling Blaine it was, 'Just some guy who wouldn't leave him alone.' He remembered the jealous glare Blaine gave him, and the way he stopped studying and started lavishing Kurt's face and neck and torso.

Kurt remembered the next morning as he was covering the ugly hickeys that were visible in this outfit, just a few of the ones his boyfriend peppered along his being - much to his annoyance, not that he would say anything...Blaine was far too irritable - he was mad that Blaine could get jealous and protective, but when Kurt did it was just stupid.

_Four._

_"Message, skipped. Next message, received on February 18th, at 6:47pm, from Day-veed Care-ov-ski."_

"I don't know why I keep calling." A bitter, humorless laugh. "Really, all I ever hear of you anymore is 'Leave a message'...I don't even know why it hurts so bad, because I know I deserve this, but..." A sigh. "My mom had a girl over, today...She was playing with Thalia...She's actually Thalia's friends older sister. Jordan. I think she goes to Crawford Country Day...She kinda had that 'Warbler-esque' outfit, only girlier.." A long, drawn out sigh. "She's not as stupid as my mom. She knew I was gay, didn't seem to care...My mom screeched at me for an hour though, for not asking her out..." A sigh. "I'm sorry for calling, again...Guess I'm just hoping you'll pick up one time..."

_"To skip this message, press four. To erase, press seven. To return the senders call, press-"_

_Four._

Kurt was pacing, then, gripping the end of his tee-shirt in a vice like grip. David sounded worse and worse as the messages went on, and it was making Kurt's stomach churn to think hope might've sparked in his voice had the response to his call been, "Hello?" instead of, "Hi, you've reached Kurt Hummel, and I'm currently busy at the moment. Sorry! Leave a message!"

_"Message, skipped. Next message, received on February 19th, at 2:12am, from Day-veed Care-ov-ski."_

He's crying, this time. "I hope I didn't wake you up.." A choked sob. "I-I just...I-" A few more little sobs. "M-My dad got home and th-they g-got in this...this _huge_ fight when she said I didn't ask Jordan out, and... My mom's leaving..." A whimper. "She's leaving because of me, Kurt. My sister isn't gonna have a _mom_, my dad isn't gonna have a _wife_, and it's _all_ because of _me_, Kurt." A cough, and his voice shakes so bad Kurt almost had to click replay. "I don't know what to do...I just want to talk to you...I just need someone to tell me it's gonna be okay-" His voice broke. "I...I don't expect you to call back. Sorry if it sounds like that. Sorry...I'm sorry...This is the last call, I promise..."

_"To skip this message, press four. To erase-"_

_Four._

Kurt can't breathe. He's crying, by now, pressed up against the wall next to the bathroom, knees tightly drawn into his chest and shaking like a leaf. Why is he doing this to himself? What is this gonna do for him besides make things worse for himself?

How could he have ignored David when he needed him so badly?

_"Message, skipped. Next message, received on February 20th, at 4:26am, from Day-veed Care-ov-ski."_

"She wasn't kidding...She really did leave, in the middle of the night..." Nothing sad. He sounds so resigned. "My dad came in and hugged me...Thalia was already here...He just stayed with us...I held her, he held me..." A sigh. "It was nice, for a little while...Now he just looks sad, and doesn't really acknowledge my existence...It sucks again." His voice cracks. "I just called to waste time, I can't go in my school yet...it's too early..." A sigh. "I know I said I wouldn't call again, but...Damn it. I'm sorry, I feel like an idiot now...Bye, Kurt..."

_"To skip this-"_

_Four._

Kurt heard Finn grunt and held his breath. He really didn't want to explain why he was crying. He really, _really_ didn't. He didn't want to explain that he must be masochistic or something, to sit here at quarter to three in the morning, listening to his friend begging for help, reaching out, leaving his palm up for Kurt to hold his hand and Kurt might not have gotten that chance had Paul been caught in traffic, or hadn't heard the chair clatter against the floor in his sons room.

He made a mental note to give that man a hug.

_"Message, skipped. Next message, received on February 20th, at 12:54pm, from Day-veed Care-ov-ski."_

"It's _Karofsky_, you stupid thi-"

"-se pick up- _Kurt!_" His voice shocks Kurt; it's broken and terrified and shaky. It sounds like David is being killed, and he'd called Kurt instead of 911. "Kurt, oh my _God_, Kurt, please answer the phone, please.." Loud, harsh sobs, echoing in the background. "N-Nick. H-He outed me, Kurt. 'Fag' is on my fucking locker, a-and everyone...Kurt, they _all_ know, I...I don't know what to do, I'm _so fucking scared.._." The sound of swerving wheels and a horn beeping in the background. "Kurt, please, I'm fucking terrified, just...Just please...call me. Call me, text me, I-I just...God, Kurt, I can't believe I did this to you, or anyone else, for _so long._..Oh, God..." More sobbing, and Kurt can hear what sounds like David choking. "...please don't ignore me this time..._Please_."

The phone clattered out of Kurt's hand and he rushed across the room to grab his pillow, smashing his face into it and screaming. Loud and hard and long until his throat gave way and it was no more than a sigh. He pulled in more air and shrieked again, and again, until his throat was raw and he was afraid he was going to permanently damage his vocal cords. When he stood up, he swayed a little, gripping the headboard of his bed so he didn't fall over. Finn snored on, oblivious to his brothers distress.

"I could be getting_ smothered to death_ by a serial killer and you wouldn't even _know_," Kurt whisper-hissed at him, his voice thick and strained with tears.

Finn grunted in response and waved his hand. "Shhh," He hissed, rolling over and snoring anew. "You did what with the pie...?"

Kurt rolled his eyes and went back to trying, desperately, to steady his breathing. _In_, hold for eight, _out_, hold for eight. _In_, hold for eight, _out_, hold for eight. He felt like he'd just ran a marathon, his heart pounding against his ribcage and his lungs quivering to get more air. _David's alive_, he reminds himself. _Hell, you just saw him yesterday. He's home, now, with his dad. With his sister, you now know exists. Paul will be watching like a freakin' hawk. There is no way anything bad could possibly happen to David. Everything is okay. _

Meanwhile, the robotic lady is asking him again if he would like to skip, delete or save this message. Kurt grunted. He only had one more. He only had one more of these to listen to, and then he could breathe.

He only had to hear the message David left him while Kurt was in Glee.

Kurt could practically see it. Dave, pacing in his room, maybe, trying to convince himself that this is either a stupid idea or the best getaway he can think of. And then the thought strikes him to try, just _one more time_, to reach out to Kurt and see if someone, _anyone_, would miss him when he's gone. He needed someone to remind him that he was loved, that he was needed, that everything was going to be okay...

And Kurt ignored the call with a roll of his eyes and loud huff of annoyance, his thought had been, _God, why can't he just leave me alone?_

His knees gave way and he sat beside his bed, little whimpers and small, barely audible sobs bubbling up his throat and past his lips. He'd sat on something, and when he shifts his weight, he finds the little monkey, lying there and grinning up at him dopily. He sniffled and lifted it up tenderly, wondering when he'd abandoned it in the first place, as if it were broken glass and he didn't want to hurt himself. With that in hand, he crawled - though he would admit crawling across the floor like a baby to _no one_ - over to his phone, and lifted it up.

_Four._

_"Message, skipped. Next message, received February 20th, at 2:06pm, from Day-veed Care-ov-sky."_

A long, drawn out sigh. "Okay...I'm just gonna make believe you're not listening to my messages, so maybe it won't hit me that you got that message and still hung up on the first ring." A hiccup. "I just...I guess I was going to ask for help, but...But now, I...This is goodbye, okay? That's really all I can say...I've called you more times than I should've, and I broke yet another promise to you, because I kept calling, but...I hope..." Kurt clamps his hand over his nose and mouth to silence the cries threatening to drown out the small whispering tone David is speaking in. "...I hope this doesn't affect you much...I hope Blaine will hold you, if it does...I hope you get famous, because...it's kind of obvious you want to be..." A sniffle. "I hope you don't stop being proud of me...I _tried_, Kurt, I _really_ tried to accept..._this_, but...but it _hurts_, Kurt, it hurts _so bad_ and...and I just...I can't...I'm not as strong as you..." Another sniff. "I'm really sorry...I'm sorry for everything..." One indrawn, trembling breath. "And...And _please_ don't blame yourself for this.._.I_ don't...You...You're probably the reason this _hasn't_ happened until now...I just wanted to..." A pause, and Kurt knows it was 'I wanted to see if you'd care', or something along those lines, but he changed his mind. "I just wanted to say goodbye..and that I'm sorry...so..." Another sigh. "...Bye, Kurt. I'm so, _so_ sorry..."

_"To skip this message, press four. To erase, press seven. To return the senders call, press eight. To save, press nine. For more options, press zero."_

And that's it.

Kurt can feel his heart's remains fall and slam into his stomach, and he lets his phone hit the ground again as he rushed into the bathroom and closed the door. He barely got the light on before he was doubling over the toilet, his stomach twisting around itself and emptying everything and anything, which was mostly bile. It felt like hours of this, but Kurt finally got ahold of himself and flushed it before stumbling over to the sink. He was lightheaded again, so he splashed icy cold water on his face, shivering as little droplets trailed down his neck and back.

That could've been the last thing he'd ever heard David say.

_'...__Bye, Kurt. I'm so, _so_ sorry...'_

He whimpered and groped for a towel, wiping his hands and face tentatively. He stood there for a moment, shaking, crying, trying to regain some sort of balance. It's 3:13 in the morning, but he knows he's never going to sleep without doing one thing first. He sniffed and grabbed his jacket off the chair, snatching his phone off the ground and making sure the monkey was snug between his pillows before going up the stairs. He didn't bother leaving his dad a note, assuming he'd be back before anyone noticed. As he got in the car, he voice dialed the number.

A groggy, thick voice answered him. "Mmm, 'ello?"

"David?" Kurt replied, suddenly feeling like an idiot. Three. Thirteen. _In. The. Morning._

"Kurt?" The boy replied, his voice still thick with sleep. Kurt lets out a relieved sob, and David's voice perks up a little. "Kurt, are you okay?"

"N-_No_," Kurt snapped, crying softly. The keys clattered out of his hand and hit the floor of his car and he cursed, falling back against the chair and trying to calm himself down. The last thing he needed to do was crash his car on the way.

"Where are you?"

"W-What?"

"Did someone hurt you?" David continues with more questions. "Are you safe? What's happening?"

"What? No, no, David...no..." He shook his head violently, trying to stifle his sobs. Who calls at three thirteen in the morning bawling uncontrollably unless something terrible was happening? "No, I'm fine, I just...I..."

"Kurt?" David asked quietly after a long pause.

"I'm coming over."

David paused, confused. "What?"

"Just...come answer the door, please? I don't want to wake anybody up..."

...

"...David?"

"O-Okay?" David replied curiously, his voice just dripping in a way that screams how much he does _not_ understand what is going on.

Kurt hummed some sort of agreement and kept the phone pressed to his ear. David just kept breathing, both too scared to hang up the phone. Kurt was crying a little, and David didn't understand why, really, but he was scared to push, as if Kurt would realize he was being weird and run away in fear.

He wouldn't, though. After about thirty minutes he finally reached down and grabbed his keys, and David finally whispered a small, "Is everything okay?"

"I'm fine," Kurt said. "Physically.."

"What happened, anyway?" David asked, then made a little sound like he was trying to swallow a yawn.

"Uhh..." Kurt sniffled, pulling out of his driveway and into the road. "I listened...to those, er, messages you sent me."

David paused. "Oh, fuck, Fancy, I-"

"_Don't you dare_ tell me you're sorry..."

"But I a-"

"_David_."

David sighed, hearing the tone of Kurt's voice. He was probably driving. He would apologize insanely when Kurt arrived. "Fine..."

It didn't take long before Kurt was muttering, "I-I um...I'm outside."

"Hold on..."

David and Kurt hung up and Kurt stepped out of the car. David opened the door after about fifteen seconds and slowly made his way out, his hands tangling and untangling nervously. "Kurt, are you seriously here in you pajam-"

He cut off, however, with a little "Oof!" as Kurt launched himself at the other boy, breaking down in tears all over again and gripping at David's tee shirt like a lifeline as he mindlessly stuttered out, "I-I-I'm so so sorry, David, I'm _so_ sorry."

"Hey, hey now, shh," David cooed, seeming a little shy in hugging Kurt back. After a moment though, the arms wrapped around Kurt tightened, and Kurt buried his face in David's shoulder and tried to breathe. _He's here. He's _right here_ and he thinks you're insane. He's not dead, you didn't kill him, everything's gonna be okay_.

"I'm so, so sorry," Kurt whimpered, pulling back reluctantly and wiping his eyes with a small sniff.

David shook his head. "No, no Kurt, don't be sorry..I completely forgot I left you those messages, I should have warned you...Or had Hudson delete them, something, I'm sorry.."

Kurt shook his head back, harder than David had, a little sob bubbling up from his throat. "I-I know you're not a home wrecker. It's not wrong to be hurt because your own mother won't accept you. It is not wrong to be upset that your own sister can't know. It is not your fault she left, it's her own damn fault, and...and...and I'm so sorry...I swear to God I will never do that to you again, you can talk to me whenever you need to-"

"Kurt," David said, his heart aching a little. "Kurt, calm down."

Kurt sniffled. "I'm sorry, I just... I got scared-"

"What's going on?"

"Davey?"

Kurt blushed and looked over David's shoulder; Paul and a little girl, barely six, who Kurt assumed was Thalia, were standing in the doorway, both looking tired and distraught. Kurt winced, and Thalia scampered out in her bare feet to her older brother, and David scooped her up without question. She sniffled, and Kurt saw what looked like tear stains on her cheeks before she hid her face in David's shoulder and sighed.

"Is everything okay, boys?" Paul asked, giving Kurt a weird look. Kurt shifted uncomfortably.

"I just...I...I was...Um..." Kurt sighed. "I just needed to see him..."

Understanding dawned on Paul's face and he nodded slightly, running a hand through his silver hair. "Well...it's late-"

"I-I know, I was just leaving."

"Oh," Paul shook his head, "nonsense. Just come in here."

"Oh, I wouldn't want to impose."

"Kurt, it's okay," David spoke up. "You can use our guest room, or you can bunk with me..."

"I-"

"I don't want you to get in an accident," David said. "It's late, people will be coming home drunk, soon..."

Kurt frowned. Damn it, why did he have to be so paranoid? "...I-I guess I could..."

David nodded, giving a tiny grin before shifting Thalia's weight onto one arm and offering his hand to Kurt. The smaller boy noticed a look of panic cross his expression, and he scrambled to clutch David's hand when it began to fall back to his side. David looked stunned for a minute and Kurt squeezed his hand, shocking him into action again as the boys walked into the house. Thalia whispered something and David shifted her again. "This is Kurt.."

She gawked. "...Hi."

Kurt waved. "Hello."

David whispered something to her and she stammered, "I-I'm Thalia.."

"Nice to meet you."

Paul grinned a little at Kurt and Thalia before he sighed and tiredly moved to the side. Kurt bit his lip and slipped away from David. "Pardon me, Mr. Karofsky?"

"Yes, Kurt?" Paul asked, his voice tired and thick.

Kurt swallowed and tentatively gave the hug he'd been planning on earlier, feeling the hesitance as he returned it. "You've been through a lot," Kurt whispered. "You should just know...it's been worth it."

Paul gave him a weird look when he pulled away, before he smiled ever so slightly, and nodded. "...Thanks."

"What did you say to him?" David asked quietly as they walked up the stairs.

"A sort of thank you," Kurt replied, giving David a timid smile and hearing the little girl yawn quietly.

David smiled a little to himself, and then paused. "Um...The, uh, the, um, guest room is right down the hall, I can show you..."

"...Are you gonna think I'm really weird if I bunk on your floor?" Kurt asked, closing his eyes until the last word was out, peaking one open shyly.

David lifted a brow playfully at the look. "Yeah, but...My bed is fairly large, we could share it?"

Kurt found his face heating up, though he wasn't sure why. He nodded and blushed harder when he stuttered, "S-Sure.."

David grinned, seemingly just as bashful and sheepish as Kurt was, and tugged at the string hanging from the ceiling. Sounding far more freaked out than he'd meant to, Kurt uttered, "You're bedroom is in the attic?"

"Hey," David barked, sounding playful still. "It was either here, or right next to my parents room." He bounced his now sleeping little sister, not enough to jostle her, but enough to make her grunt in annoyance. "Obviously I didn't want to do that at the time."

Kurt couldn't help the giggle that erupted from his mouth, quickly clamping a hand over his lips and trying to shut up. David snorted and gestured to the staircase that had tumbled down from the floorboards of his bedroom. "After you."

Kurt gave the shaky looking steps a weary look before glancing at David and tentatively climbing up them - gracefully, he definitely did not nearly fall off of them, hell no, that is not the reason David is currently biting the insides of his cheeks to keep from chuckling - and into the bedroom. It was nice, the walls just plain wood, the color scheme of dark blues, blacks and reds, a window to the right of his bed, a slanted ceiling... Kurt was a little stunned by his bookshelf, really, filled to the brim with classics and some non-fiction lightweights, along with a couple football and hockey trophies and some picture frames. Kurt grinned at one picture of Thalia and David at, what appeared to be, a Disney resort what looked like a couple years ago, one of him and a very young Thalia at the beach...one of a very young looking David and both his parents in an obvious photo studio setting. Kurt frowned and glanced behind him to see if David had made it up there yet, but quickly ended up turning away when his eyes locked on the closet, one hell of a big dent in the floor...

"Are you just silently judging, or...?"

Kurt startled, looking up from the floor and to the boy standing by the bed, his sister making grabby hands at her older brothers own. Kurt shook himself, seeing the airplanes hanging above the bed and feeling a smaller smile tug at his lips and murmured, "No, no, just..observing. Not judging."

David nodded and looked at Thalia with an almost-smile there. He looked like he felt awkward, now. Shy. Uncomfortable. Kurt winced. "Um...You know, I really can go home, if I'm making you feel weird.."

"No, no, it's fine," David said. "I just...feel bad that you had to hear those."

Kurt shrugged. "I feel bad that I never answered the phone..."

"I didn't deserve your help..."

Kurt stared at him for a moment, and David glanced up after a few moments of silence. Was Kurt going to agree with him?

"_Everyone_ needs someone to talk to, David. I don't care what you've done..." He said instead. "And I told you we were friends, and...I'm so sorry I ever treated you like that."

The words that fell out of his mouth after that shocked him, because there was no thought to it, no effort to, "You know I love you, right?"

David stared at him, a look of shock plastered on his face. Both of them knew how those words were meant, nothing romantic, but it was stunning, to both of them, the lack of a pause, the lack of thoughts of if this was an okay thing to say, if this was true, nothing, just bang, right out there.

After a long moment, David nodded slowly. "Thanks..." And after another pause. "Love you, too."

Kurt grinned shyly and eyed the bed, before looking at the digital alarm clock on the dresser. 4:02am...Oh. He yawned quietly, looking down.

"C'mon, Fancy, I don't bite.."

Kurt snorted and edged toward the bed nervously, pulling the sheets back. He wasn't lying, it was fairly sized, probably a full size, plenty of room for two people. Kurt, still, rolled onto the very edge and hugged a pillow - which smelled an awful lot like the hug he'd just had with the jock - to his chest as David moved to the other side of the room and turned the light off. David practically had to leap over his sister, and he burrowed under the sheets and laid on his back. "Um...by the way."

"Hmm?"

"I never expected you to wear unfashionable pajama's, Fancy."

Kurt stage-gasped, slapping the other boys arm. "Shut your mouth!"

David laughed. "You're wearing skulls and crossbones, are you a biker now?"

"_Nooooo_," Kurt drawled. "I'm a...Uh..." He paused, trying to think. "Oh! I'm a pirate. So..._meh_."

David snorted. "Captain Kurt?"

"Definitely." Kurt nodded against the pillow, giggling quietly. David snorted.

"G'night, Fancy."

"Goodnight, Hamhock."

**_.~*~._**

When David woke up that morning, Thalia was sprawled out obnoxiously as always, he was lain out on his side...

...and Captain Hummel was curled up against his back. David smiled slightly, and pretended to be asleep a little longer. It couldn't hurt.

Kurt, who was well aware where he was laying, had texted his father a little while ago. '_So sorry, friend crisis. I'll be home soon, promise_.' He had time, he could just lay here and burn this moment into his mind. David was okay, David was right here being used as Kurt's pillow, it's all okay.

_Everything_ is gonna be okay.

* * *

><p><strong>...I'll admit it. I've been trying to publish this for weeks and just been too dang nervous about it...I don't even KNOW why but...yesh. Haha Review kindly pretty please? I am only posting this because a friend of mine pointed out that I had a 6,200 word thing here and wasn't posting...pfft. So! In other words this fic really scares me and I would really appreciate some niceness from you all. hehe<strong>

**(If anyone who reads _WC?_ came and saw this I really haven't been distracted by this I just got stuck...this poor fic was written, like, right after the hiatus started...oy.)**


End file.
